Sunday, May 31, 2009

Pumpkin & Nut Pastry

Have you ever felt that there is another "you" living in another place or country? You and "You" aren't related although look identical. You two share the same thoughts, and seem to be aware of each other on some level .

But in food, discovering its look-alike/ double in an entirely different country the experience is exciting though.

Louh-Pau Ban (back translation: wife's pastry) in Hongkong.

And Pastel Cabello in Barcelona.

LPB's filling has candied winter melon. Depending on how the bakers treat it, the texture can be gummy with crunchy bits. I thought very unique.

Until I tried pastel cabello. Probably there are various types, the one I had the filling was made out of pulp of pumpkin or gourd. The color appeared to be transparent and the texture was crispy also. I've definitely glimpsed a peripheral vision of candied melon!

Now I am not trying to recreate either of the pastries (candied winter melon isn't available in many stores, and I don't have a recipe for that store-bought pastel cabello), but the whole experience has just inspired me on making a pumpkin filling for a Chinese pastry crust. Is there someone else in somewhere doing the same thing?... mmm... ...

To form dough A - in a mixing bowl whisk to combine the flour and icing sugar. Drop in cold butter cubes, use finger or a pastry blender to further cut the cubes until the whole mixture has a texture of coarse cornmeal. Gradually mix in water and knead a few times until a soft dough is form. Divide into 12 small balls.

To form dough B- in a mixing bowl well combine the flour, very soft butter and the oil. The dough is tender and soft as well. Divide it into 12 small balls.

Roll Ball A to a flat circle, place Ball B in the center, wrap up and seal the circle, seal-side up.

Left photo - Roll the ball to a rectangle, from the short side roll it up. Up to this point the gluten in dough probably develops too tight, you may need to cover the roll-ups and rest them in fridge for 30 mins or so, therefore you will feel easier when you do the further rollings.

Right photo - Place the roll-up vertically, the seal-side faces up, roll it to a rectangle, and roll it up. Rest (cover and chill) the roll-ups for 30 mins again.

Roll a roll-up to a flat piece, you can use a mold or just create a free-form pastry, wrap into the filling. Egg wash each top.
Since I wanted the pumpkin cook a bit longer, so I set my oven to 185C (Florence used 200C), bake pastries 30 minutes. Cool them off on rack.

Recipe for pumpkin and nut filling

yield: 12 small portions (a portion eqv to 1 tablespoon)

260g pumpkin, finely shredded

1/4 cup sugar

70g almond, blanced

20g unsweeten desiccated coconut

3 teaspoons poppy seeds

50g icing sugar

Mix the pumpkin with sugar, cover and stay overnigh in fridge. Place the pumpkin in a tea towel and squeeze out the liquid as much as possible.

Slightly toast the almond, then ground them.

Combine the pumpkin, almond, cocnut, poppy seeds and icing sugar. Mine the moisture is just perfect, in case of being too dry, I think it is possible to add some honey or maple syrup.

I chose to use a shallow mould, so the (raw) pumpkin is only spread to be a thin layer and able to cook through.

You should really start a bakery or Pastry shop girl, I mean it! They are to die for. We fill coconut, Jaggery and Cardamom sometimes, love them.

Yes, India or Bangalore trip was exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. Sometimes, "progress" can be hard on cities and it's people! :)

But happy to brother's family and my parents after so long, worth the wait. Trisha graduated this Saturday, we are so proud. Big achievement for me personally and one more child to go in 4 years!! HeHe!!

Have a great Summer there, see you in Fall. Hugs.I am still recovering healthwise but getting better every day! :)

Always so pretty Gattina! Works of art really. The filling is so appealing especially the almond and poppy seeds, what perfection. I'm just not seeing where you put the filling. I'll study it some more.

AshyCupCake, do you have any asian grocery store around your area? They probably carry the moulds (or just ask any mould for making chinese pastry). Or, you can do the pastries free-form, the mould only makes they look nicer.Thank you so much for your visit and compliment :D